Littering Laws in Hawaii and How to Keep the Aloha State Clean

In the breathtaking state of Hawaii, it should come as no surprise that many laws are in place to of maintain the integrity of the land and surrounding seas. However, very few people are actually aware of how strict these laws truly are, nor how extensive the repercussions of breaking said laws.

With that in mind, here is a brief overview of the littering laws in Hawaii:

Littering is considered a criminal offense. According to HI Rev Stat 708-829 (2013), “A person commits the offense of criminal littering if that person knowingly places, throws, or drops litter on any public or private property or in any public or private waters.”

The repercussions of littering are less than lenient. The punishments for committing such a crime include not only paying a fine, but spending four hours either picking up litter on public property or performing community service.

If the same person is found guilty of the same or a similar offense, they will be required to spend eight hours picking up litter on public property or performing community service.

The people of Hawaii are dedicated to keeping their islands clean. This is exemplified by the countless organizations established by civilians and business people alike. In recent years, restaurant and other business owners banded together to form Malama 808, a shared mission of litter prevention that is carried out through taking a pledge.

Along the same vein, several Hawaiian citizens came together to establish 808 Cleanups. This 501(c)3 organization is dedicated to cleaning up Hawaii’s unsightly graffiti tags, litter, and remains from pallet bonfires.

Additionally, 808 Cleanups puts a great amount of effort into community outreach in hopes of not only recruiting volunteers, but for igniting a statewide passion for their cause as well.

Would you like to get involved? If you have noticed the disappointing treatment of Hawaii’s delicate environment, the best thing you can do is step up and do something about it yourself. Spend time volunteering with environmentally conscious organizations in your area, donate to the cause, or even adopt an 808 Cleanups volunteer site that desperately needs cleaning.

Although these contributions may look or feel small, they make a great impact in the long run. After all, just one donation, one shift of community service, or one effort to raise awareness inspires the continuation of caring for one’s community. And such a small action is absolutely priceless.